Where are the most dangerous intersections in the Cleveland area? The intersection with the highest number of crashes in Northeast Ohio is Cleveland’s East 55th, Woodland Road and Kinsman Road intersection. The five- way intersection averages 52 crashes annually, resulting in an average of 7 injuries per year. That’s a crash every week.
According to The Ohio Department of Transportation (ODOT) there are 15 major urban intersections in Northeast Ohio that are classified as being among the most dangerous. ODOT collects data through a program called “Safety Analyst,” which flags about 300 urban and rural intersections based on the frequency of auto accidents. Transportation engineers at ODOT rank these dangerous intersections by weighing the number of crashes compared to how many vehicles pass through them annually. The Northeast Ohio Areawide Coordinating Agency worked alongside ODOT to conduct 16 road safety audits on intersections with a high frequency of accidents from 2009 to 2013, which helped to provide funds to improve several intersections in Northeast Ohio.
The department divides their evaluation based on geography, with urban intersections having a higher number in crashes and injuries due to high traffic volume. However, rural roads have higher speeds and on occasion hilly roads, which can be equally dangerous as urban streets and intersections. Therefore the department evaluates urban and rural intersection differently.
Transportation engineer at ODOT, Derek Troyer, stresses the SafetyAnalyst program allows ODOT to spend federal and state grant money in areas that have traffic safety issues which require improvement. Identifying these dangerous areas helps the department make short and long term plans to implement new signs, fix ditches, or construct and redesign intersections. According to a study done by Gary Drano from The Northeast Ohio Areawide Coordinating Agency (NOACA), “Vehicle safety technologies, along with increased enforcement of seat-belt laws, speed limits and penalizing aggressive driving, have made a very large impact.”(http://blog.cleveland.com/metro/2012/01/crash_study_reveals_most_dange.html)
From 2011-2013, ODOT allocated $102 million toward various dangerous intersection projects, $40 million of which came from federal and state funds. (http://www.cleveland.com/metro/index.ssf/2013/12/in_northeast_ohio_inter...
The intersection at Columbia Road and Detroit Road in Westlake Ohio averaged 27 crashes per year from 2010-2012.
What intersection in Northeast Ohio do you find the most dangerous? These are the top 5 most dangerous urban and rural intersections in Northeast Ohio. If possible, these intersections should be avoided. However, if your destination doesn’t allow you to re-route, then you should approach these areas with extra caution.
Top 5 most dangerous urban intersections
1. East 55th, Woodland Road and Kinsman Road Cleveland, OH
2. Mentor Ave, Broadmoor Road and Reynolds Road Mentor, OH
3. JFK Memorial Parkway, Center Ridge Road and Cleveland St. Elyria, OH
4. Mentor Ave. and Old Johnnycake Ridge Road Mentor, OH
5. Som Center Road and Euclid Ave. Willoughby, OH
Click here for the full urban intersection list
Top 5 most dangerous rural intersections
1. Ridge Road and Medina Road Granger, OH
2. Oberlin Elyria Road and N. Ashland-Oberlin Road Oberlin, OH
3. GAR Highway and Plank Road Montville, OH
4. N. Main St. and W. Herrick Ave Wellington, OH
5. GAR Highway and Old State Road Chardon, OH
Click here for the full rural intersection list
For further reading visit:http://www.cleveland.com/metro/index.ssf/2013/12/in_northeast_ohio_inter...